Bridge deck or floor



G. G. GREULICH BRIDGE DECK 0R FLOOR May 13, 1941.

Filed Sept. 28, 1938 [mamm- 5EE;L0 6

Patented May 13, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,241,512 names nEcK on noon Gerald G. ,Greulich, Mount Lebanon, Pa. Application September 28, 193 Serial No. 232,203 1 Claim. (01. 14-73) The present invention relates to a structural member for use as an open bridge deck or flooring, grating or the like.

An object of the. invention is to provide a reticulated structure formed from a sheet or plate by rollingribs thereon and providing upwardly projecting lugs between the ribs for forming a ventional manner, spaced parallel ribs 3.,pro-.

iecting from one surface 01' the sheet or plate 2. Portions of the plate 2, between the spaced parallel ribs '3, are punched outand bent at substan tial right angles to the plane of the sheet 2 to provide lugs 4 which terminate in a planesubstantially in alignment with the face of the ribs 3.

These lugs 4 on the plate orsheet 2 are in spaced parallel relation with each other and at right angles to the ribs 3. In forming the lugs 4, there is provided a plurality of openings 5 formed in the rolled steel section which permit the tread, surface of the unit to be self-cleaning and enable extraneous matter, such as ,snow, rain or dirt, to drop freely therethrough. Structural supporting members 6 are provided for supporting said structural unit.

The ribs 3 are formed by any conventional rolling operation, "after which the formed 'unit ispositioned forpunching out, in any conventional manner, portionsot the metal between the ribs so as to form the lugs l, which termihate in submantial alignment with the ribs 1 uppermost sur- I edges of the said lugs.

but at right angles thereto. In formingthe lugs 4, the ribs 3 become T-shaped in cross-section, as shown in Figure 3. According to the foregoing construction, there isa complete absence of rivets, bolts, or welding.

I am aware that open-work bridge deck flooring is not'new in the art. However, in all of the prior art devices known to me, theopenwork construction requires strips secured to parallel bars by rivets, bolts or the like whereas according to the teachings of the present invention there is provided an open-work bridge deck or flooring unit made from a solid piece of rolled steel.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the'invention as defined in the following claim.

I claim:

An open bridge deck or flooring comprising a metallic plate providing integral spaced parallel continuous ribs projecting from one surface thereof, a plurality of series of transversely aligned substantially rectangular lugs di posed at right-angles to said continuous ribs, one of said lugs being disposed between each of said ribs and the next adjacent rib, each or said lugs being L-shaped in section with the foot portion thereof comprising the web of the plate and the leg portion extending at substantial right-angles thereto, the web of the plate having anaperture between each lug and the corresponding lug or the next adjacent series, the contours of the said apertures. corresponding to the outlines. of the legportions of the said lugs, the ends oi said lugs being spaced from the sides oi the adjacent ribs, the upper edges of said ribs and said lugs terminating in substantially the same plane, whereby there is provided between the said ribs traction surfaces defined by the upper GERALD G. cinnamon. 

